The present subject matter relates generally to a method for improving grip of handheld implements. More specifically, the present invention relates to both methods and devices for improving the grip of percussion mallets and other handheld implements.
Percussion instruments are some of the oldest and most pervasive types of musical implements. Many historians believe rudimentary percussion instruments were the first instruments ever used by humans and are commonly referred to as “the backbone” or “the heartbeat” of musical performances even today. Most modern percussionist utilize drum sticks (technically a type of percussion mallet) during such performances and while the shape and style of drum sticks vary, most share some common attributes. The archetypical drum stick is turned from a single piece of wood—most commonly of hickory, maple, or oak. Drum sticks of this traditional form are also made from metal, carbon fiber and other modern materials.
Almost all drum sticks feature various parts with distinct functions including: the tip (or bead) which is the part most often used to strike instruments, the shoulder which tapers towards the tip and is normally slightly convex, the shaft or body which is typically cylindrical, and the butt located at the opposite end of the stick from the tip. While this generic description may vary from stick to stick, the overall design of most sticks is generally the same and, as mentioned above, ubiquitous in almost every form of music.
The drum stick, while readily identifiable by most, is not without flaws; one such issue being their smooth cylindrical shafts. This area is commonly where musicians grip the sticks and, being a smooth cylinder made of wood or other rigid material, can be difficult to grip. This difficulty increases greatly when a musician's hands become moist from perspiration, rain, stage effects, etc. Once a musician's grip is compromised, they risk losing hold of their sticks mid-performance or, as the stick moves only slightly in their grasp, developing painful blisters which can limit play time.
The smooth shaft of drumsticks also provides no tactile feedback to a percussionist about where they are gripping the stick in relation to the tip or butt of the stick. This can be important information for, as an example, Rock and Metal musicians who regularly play their drums with both ends of the stick. Additionally, high intensity drummers regularly lose their sticks while furiously playing, requiring them to blindly grab a replacement stick if available. When grabbing such a replacement stick, the drummer has no idea towards which end of the shaft they are holding and thus are required to examine the stick visually or by feel, potentially interrupting the aforementioned “heartbeat” or a performance.
Accordingly, there is a need for a percussion mallet which enables users to maintain a better grip, as described herein.